Texas and Region

Uproar over the evolution curriculum. Divides over religious influences in American history. A board member who called public schools a "subtly deceptive tool of perversion."

Even to some Republican challengers in Tuesday's primary election, Texas' influential State Board of Education has image issues.

"The creationism and evolution issues have overshadowed what the board does," said candidate Thomas Ratliff, a lobbyist. "I don't think everything they do is bad. But they have a real PR problem."

Ratliff is one of several Republicans trying to unseat some of the most prominent Christian conservatives on the board, which adopts Texas school curriculum standards on everything from science to social studies. Twenty-two candidates are vying for eight seats up for election, five of which are held by Republicans.

Social conservatives control the 15-member board, and liberal observers view the primary as an opportunity to purge the board of some of its most far-right members.

DALLAS

Megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes says it's cheaper to rehabilitate criminals than to incarcerate them, and wants to see a shift in where state and national resources are allocated.

"I'd like to see us stop the propensity that we have today to make a big business out of incarceration," Jakes said Sunday. "I'm trying to show the benefits of rehabilitation."

He spoke moments after 150 former inmates graduated from a program designed to increase their odds of succeeding after prison. They commenced to thunderous applause at Jakes' packed 9,000-seat Dallas church, The Potter's House.

Nearly 1,000 people have completed the 12-month Texas Offenders Re-entry Initiative, or TORI program, since its founding in 2005. Participants get help with everything from job searches, life skills and housing to financial literacy, education and substance-abuse counseling.

EL PASO

Officials say an 18-year-old El Paso man was apparently angry about being asked to leave a gathering and so drove his car into a crowd in a parking area. Two male teenagers were injured but are expected to recover.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that a 17-year-old was pinned under the the Mitsubishi Lancer and a 16-year-old was struck and suffered a broken leg.

Witnesses said the driver in the early Saturday incident had to be forced out of the car so the 17-year-old could be pulled out from under it. The 17-year-old suffered bruising and internal injuries.